How to Save a Life
by cantbestuffed
Summary: When Tom hears this particular song on radio, it brings back a lot of painful memories on a blonde haired smart-ass that was his best friend and brother in everything but blood.


**TO ALL THOSE WHO HAD A BEST FRIEND THAT CHANGED FOR THE WORST**

HOW TO SAVE A LIFE

You turned on the radio and a familiar song came on that brought back painful memories of an old friend of yours. A blonde with a smart mouth and a deadly secret.

_**Step one, you say, "We need to talk."  
He walks, you say, "Sit down. It's just a talk."  
He smiles politely back at you  
You stare politely right on through**_

You know this isn't safe to do anymore. He's turned into the cold-hearted killer you didn't think was possible but you tried to hold onto the small hope he was still in there You want to help, he is your best friend and has saved you life so many times.

_**Some sort of window to your right  
As he goes left and you stay right  
Between the lines of fear and blame  
You begin to wonder why you came**_

The day had been so awkward. A silence had fallen over the two of you and neither of you wanted to break it. In the end though Alex asked you about the weather and you tried not to flip the table.

_**Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness  
And I would have stayed up with you all night  
Had I known how to save a life**_

You often wondered this. Where did you go wrong? He was your best friend you should have noticed the signs. Something. Anything. But you didn't and you wondered if you were a good a friend as you thought you were.

_**Let him know that you know best  
'Cause after all you do know best**_

_**Try to slip past his defence  
Without granting innocence**_

You want him to listen to you... You NEED him to listen to you. After all, all you want is for him to listen to you so that you can help him.

_**Lay down a list of what is wrong  
The things you've told him all along  
Pray to God, he hears you  
And I pray to God, he hears you**_

You remember wanting him to see that he had changed and not for the better. You remember wanting him to smile and yell APRIL FOOLS and laugh over want he put you through. You remember wanting him to just respond like a human being and not a mindless killing machine.

_**And where did I go wrong? I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness  
And I would have stayed up with you all night  
Had I known how to save a life**_

_**As he begins to raise his voice  
You lower yours and grant him one last choice  
Drive until you lose the road  
Or break with the ones you've followed  
He will do one of two things  
He will admit to everything**_

He was attempting to convince you that it was the right choice but you could tell he didn't even believe it and that's when you realised that he knew he was digging himself into a hole but he didn't care, you saw that in his eyes. But that didn't matter you had to help him, to save him from what he had become.

_**Or he'll say he's just not the same  
And you'll begin to wonder why you came**_

You remember the conversion as though it was yesterday. You asked him why he agreed to work for MI6 after they had ruined his life. Killed his parents. His uncle. Jack. He said you wouldn't understand but you never that even the famous Alex Rider didn't have an answer to that.

_**Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend**_  
_**Somewhere along in the bitterness**_  
_**And I would have stayed up with you all night**_  
_**Had I known how to save a life**_

You wanted to save him and help pull him out of the grave he dug himself into. If he let you help you could have saved him like he saved you, countless times. When your parents were getting a divorce or when your brother committed suicide because his was drink driving once and his girlfriend died because of it. You needed him to know how much you cared for him. He was your brother.  
_**  
Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness  
And I would have stayed up with you all night  
Had I known how to save a life**_

If he let you help him, then you would have, could have. He was the only family you had left, despite having different parents and different blood. He was your brother through thick and thin and you didn't want him to throw his life away.

_**How to save a life**_

_**How to save a life**_

_**Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend**_  
_**Somewhere along in the bitterness**_  
_**And I would have stayed up with you all night**_  
_**Had I known how to save a life**_

You regret not trying harder. Alex had his whole life a head of him and he through it away. He could have had a life. he was smart, attractive and extremely fit. He could have done anything with ease. Just like always.

_**Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness  
And I would have stayed up with you all night**_

_**Had I known how to save a life  
How to save a life**_

How to save a life

In the end, it was no surprise when he died, you were just counting the days before he realised what he had become and you wondered if you tried harder.

Could you have saved Alex Rider?

You turned of the radio. No use re-living painful memories about your best friend and brother in everything but blood.


End file.
